Savor Summer’s Last Glorious Days

Oh, September, you are tops in our book! You usher the kids back to school while still offering up the beautiful blue-sky days that are ideal for Pacific Northwest family adventuring. Friends, let’s gather the crew and head to the beach, to the fair, to the farm! These outing ideas and others will make this a September to remember.

• Take a short ferry ride to one-of-a-kind Jetty Island to play in the sand and splish-splash in the warm(ish) waters, through Sunday, Sept. 3. Go online to reserve your spot on the ferry. 
• Saddle up and head over the mountains for thrilling rodeo action and county fair fun in Ellensburg. City slickers are welcome at the Kittitas County Fair and Ellensburg Rodeo through Monday, Sept. 4. Fair admission $6–$10; rodeo events $24 and up (tickets include fair entry). 

• Frolicking among giant sunflowers is another let’s-keep-summer-going activity. Sunflower festivals continue most weekends throughout the month. Pick a farm, pick some flowers and take beautiful photos of your favorite kids. 
• September means that it is time to do the Puyallup! The Washington State Fair is a tradition for so many families. Brave the carnival rides, savor fair treats, admire animal exhibits and more. The fair is held Sept. 1–24 this year (closed Tuesdays as well as Wednesday, Sept. 6). Gate admission $12–$18; ages 5 and younger free; shows and rides extra. Discount for online purchase; additional deals available. 
• It’s the last chance this year to take advantage of Regal’s cheap summer movies deal. Book your tix for Tuesday–Wednesday, Sept. 5–6, to catch “Despicable Me 3” or “Spirit Untamed” at a local participating theater. All tickets $2. 
• Motor on over to the truck lover’s paradise happening at Spanaway Park. At this free Touch-A-Truck event, kids get to climb on, “drive” and honk the horns of many of the awesome big rigs they see out on the roads. Saturday, Sept. 9, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. (horn-free hour, noon–1 p.m.).
• Calling all Lego fans! Gather with fellow Lego enthusiasts for BrickCon 2023, at a new location this year, in Bellevue. Admire models built by superfans and take inspiration for your own creations. Saturday–Sunday, Sept. 9–10, at Meydenbauer Center. Tickets $16–$18.50. 
• There’s a farm right in the city of Seattle? Yep, it’s the Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands. Stop by for a community fest celebrating local food, city farming and healthy living. Meet some llamas, hear some stories and ride the smoothie bike on Saturday, Sept. 16, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Free entry; food for purchase. 

• Celebrate the various cultural traditions and cuisines of Latin America represented in our local community. Sea Mar Fiestas Patrias welcomes all to enjoy food demos, kids’ activities, folkloric performances and more. Join the party at Seattle Center, Saturday–Sunday, Sept. 16–17. 
• Press apples into cider and hop on for a horse ride — these are among the fun fall activities at the Fall City Apple Festival. Proceeds support equine therapy for veterans and summer camp scholarships for kids. Sunday, Sept. 17, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Free entry; food and some activities for purchase. 
• ParentMap welcomes back Harvard professor Khalil Gibran Muhammad, Ph.D., for another essential talk on understanding the history of anti-Black racism in the United States and its continuing effect on our society today. Monday, Sept. 18, 1 p.m. 
• Head for the hills to explore one of our state’s beautiful state or national parks on Saturday, Sept. 23, when entrance fees to national parks are waived and you can park in a state park without a Discover Pass. parentmap.com/free
• Super-fun kindie rockers The Not-Its! kick off Town Hall Seattle’s returning Saturday Family Concert series. This band’s catchy tunes will have the kids on their feet, dancing and singing along to songs about scabs, pajamas, brain freezes and the like. Saturday, Sept. 23, 11 a.m. Kids free; grown-ups pay $5. 
• Bring your appetite and gather with other enthusiasts to partake in the culture, arts and food of Italy. Additional Italian Festival features include a car show, a dog show and the popular grape stomp. Saturday–Sunday, Sept. 23–24. Free. 
• Two celebrations of the ChuSeok Korean Festival invite the community to enjoy Korean cultural traditions, such as samulnori percussion dances, paper lotus flower crafts, Korean music and Korean food. Join in the fun Saturday, Sept. 23, in Tacoma, or Saturday, Sept. 30, in Gig Harbor. Free.